Anna University search committee row: Orders reserved

The First Bench Comprising Chief Justice Indira, Banerjee and Justice M. Sundar who heard a PIL in this regard on Wednesday reserved its order without mentioning a date.

P Uchimakali, State Secretary, Students Federation of India had submitted that the former IIT director of Kanpur is well connected with Anna University and hence can’t be part of the search committee as per the proviso to the Anna University Amendment Act 2017. 

Referring to the act which claims that a person nominated to the search committee shall not be a member of any of the authorities of the University or shall not be connected with the University or any college or any recognised institution of the University, the petitioner contended that Anantha Padmanbhan, on retirement as Director from IIT, Kanpur, was brought by D Viswanathan, Vice-Chancellor, Anna University, as a Professor of eminence to the University. Therefore, in terms of Proviso he is related to Anna University and hence can’t be part of the search committee, the petitioner said.